Croatia on Wednesday deposited a document on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women, along with the reservation and interpretative statement, the Foreign Ministry said.

In the presence of Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Croatia’s permanent representative at the Council of Europe, Ambassador Miroslav Papa, deposited the document with the depositary, the Council of Europe secretary-general.

The interpretative statement clarifies the provisions of the convention in order dissuade conservative critics in Croatia who vocally opposed the ratification of the convention for fear that it would introduce so-called “gender ideology” into Croatian legislation.

The parliament ratified the convention on April 13, and Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic signed it on May 24.
Croatia is the 31st signatory of the international agreement.

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